Singapore population pyramid 2026
5,905,748 people in 2026 (projected). Singapore’s pyramid bulges at ages 20–39 with foreign workers and students, above a narrow base left by fertility below one child per woman.
- 2026 population
- 5.9Mrank 115 of 237
- Median age
- 36.8 yearsoldest rank 92
- Fertility rate
- 0.97births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older14.8% age 65+
Singapore population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Singapore age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 11.7% of the population, while 14.8% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 73.5% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Singapore’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 36.1: about 36 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (16.0 children and 20.1 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Singapore’s population pyramid
A bulge made by migration
The UN figures count everyone living in Singapore, not just citizens and permanent residents, and that explains the most striking feature of the pyramid. The bands from 20 to 39 are far wider than anything below them: in 2026 the 25–29 band holds nearly 600,000 people, compared with about 240,000 children aged 0–4. Much of the difference is made up of foreign workers on employment passes and work permits, along with international students. Because many of these jobs, particularly in construction and the shipyards, are done by men, the sex ratio climbs from about 105 men per 100 women among children to about 124 at ages 25–29. The 15–19 band already starts to widen as students arrive, which is likely why the 10–14 band (born about 2012–16) appears as a notch between it and the younger bands.
Migration is not new. In 1950 men already outnumbered women at every age from 20 to 49, the legacy of a port city built largely by male immigrants. Between 1950 and 2023 the UN estimates a combined net inflow of about 2.4 million people, and since 2000 migration has added about twice as many people as the excess of births over deaths.
One of the lowest fertility rates in the world
Underneath the migrant bulge is a very small base. Fertility fell from about 6.2 children per woman in 1950 to below replacement by 1980, a decline accelerated by an active family-planning campaign in the 1970s, and then kept falling, to about 0.94 in 2023, among the lowest in the lowest fertility rates ranking. Pro-natal incentives introduced since the late 1980s have not reversed the trend. Taken as a whole, Singapore’s age structure is closest to Chile and Mauritius, two other rapidly ageing societies.
Ageing in place, if the workers stay
The medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2038 and the population to peak at about 6.2 million around 2040, then fall to about 4.2 million by 2100. It also ages today’s bulge forward, so that in 2050 the widest bands are at 45–59 and the median age is about 51. In practice many work-pass holders leave when their contracts end, so how much of the bulge actually ages in Singapore depends on immigration policy, a reminder that projections are conditional on migration assumptions, as the guide to population projections explains.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–14 | 2012–2016 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −11% |
| 25–29 | 1997–2001 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +11% |
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2038. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2020 and 2023.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Singapore is projected to record 50,564 births (about 138 births a day) and 30,818 deaths, a natural increase of 19,746. Net migration adds +13,379 people, ranking #46 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,095,184 births, 501,240 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +1,227,569. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +267,386 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 86.6 years59.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 81.7 years50.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 1.7per 1,000 births · 93 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 2.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 32.3 yearssex ratio at birth 106.0
Women in Singapore are projected to live 4.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 93 to 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #227 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 32.3 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Singapore
The median age of 36.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 0.97 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 84.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,905,748 | #115 | Largest first |
| Median age | 36.8 years | #92 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 0.97 | #231 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.6% | #128 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 84.1 years | #12 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 14.8% | #86 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Singapore
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25–29 | 596,469 | 10.1% | 330K / 266.5K |
| 2 | 30–34 | 596,168 | 10.1% | 324.8K / 271.4K |
| 3 | 35–39 | 532,440 | 9.0% | 282.4K / 250K |
| 4 | 20–24 | 482,345 | 8.2% | 261.6K / 220.7K |
| 5 | 40–44 | 445,414 | 7.5% | 230.7K / 214.7K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Singapore has 3,049,468 males and 2,856,280 females. That is 106.8 males per 100 females, ranking #18 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 51.6% of the population and females for 48.4%. There are 193,188 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 86.3 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Singapore has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 1,013,314 in 1950 to 5,905,748 in 2026, a change of 483%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.9 to 36.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 40.6% to 11.7%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.4% to 14.8%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Singapore’s population is projected to grow by about 3%, reaching 6,081,692 in 2050. The median age changes from 36.8 to 50.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 12.0 percentage points to 26.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 9.1%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 6,194,782 in 2040. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,013,314 | 18.9 | 6.23 | 54.1 | 44,926 | 12,467 | +20,670 | +5.2% |
| 1960 | 1,619,322 | 17.2 | 5.77 | 65.3 | 59,428 | 10,063 | +2,008 | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 2,091,558 | 18.7 | 3.07 | 68.5 | 44,882 | 11,016 | +4,024 | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 2,437,493 | 23.7 | 1.74 | 71.5 | 42,176 | 12,783 | +42,433 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 3,039,591 | 28.5 | 1.58 | 74.6 | 50,430 | 15,565 | +66,950 | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 4,035,245 | 31.2 | 1.34 | 77.8 | 51,230 | 17,863 | +55,218 | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 5,077,014 | 32.7 | 0.93 | 81.6 | 42,643 | 19,711 | +72,571 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 5,620,150 | 34.5 | 0.94 | 83.7 | 47,113 | 24,804 | −145,556 | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 5,789,090 | 35.1 | 0.94 | 83.7 | 47,472 | 27,728 | +26,996 | +0.8% |
| 2024* | 5,832,387 | 35.7 | 0.95 | 83.9 | 48,802 | 28,954 | +20,011 | +0.7% |
| 2026* | 5,905,748 | 36.8 | 0.97 | 84.1 | 50,564 | 30,818 | +13,379 | +0.6% |
| 2030* | 6,031,377 | 39.1 | 1.01 | 84.7 | 51,250 | 34,924 | +9,897 | +0.4% |
| 2040* | 6,194,782 | 44.9 | 1.08 | 85.9 | 38,274 | 47,519 | +7,728 | -0.0% |
| 2050* | 6,081,692 | 50.9 | 1.15 | 87.1 | 32,048 | 59,617 | +9,819 | -0.3% |
| 2060* | 5,901,726 | 56.1 | 1.21 | 88.2 | 35,836 | 67,535 | +7,196 | -0.4% |
| 2070* | 5,631,285 | 58.3 | 1.26 | 89.3 | 32,553 | 75,988 | +13,721 | -0.5% |
| 2080* | 5,209,688 | 57.3 | 1.30 | 90.4 | 27,869 | 86,402 | +6,143 | -1.0% |
| 2090* | 4,651,262 | 57.1 | 1.33 | 91.5 | 28,141 | 89,489 | +6,005 | -1.2% |
| 2100* | 4,163,012 | 56.0 | 1.36 | 92.7 | 27,463 | 72,782 | +5,824 | -0.9% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 123,772 | 117,365 | 241,137 | 4.1% |
| 5–9 | 116,284 | 112,255 | 228,539 | 3.9% |
| 10–14 | 114,848 | 109,338 | 224,186 | 3.8% |
| 15–19 | 143,619 | 130,695 | 274,314 | 4.6% |
| 20–24 | 261,600 | 220,745 | 482,345 | 8.2% |
| 25–29 | 329,987 | 266,482 | 596,469 | 10.1% |
| 30–34 | 324,767 | 271,401 | 596,168 | 10.1% |
| 35–39 | 282,409 | 250,031 | 532,440 | 9.0% |
| 40–44 | 230,689 | 214,725 | 445,414 | 7.5% |
| 45–49 | 201,871 | 193,530 | 395,401 | 6.7% |
| 50–54 | 186,712 | 180,290 | 367,002 | 6.2% |
| 55–59 | 165,964 | 162,810 | 328,774 | 5.6% |
| 60–64 | 163,094 | 158,885 | 321,979 | 5.5% |
| 65–69 | 145,804 | 146,550 | 292,354 | 5.0% |
| 70–74 | 112,323 | 123,696 | 236,019 | 4.0% |
| 75–79 | 78,323 | 92,935 | 171,258 | 2.9% |
| 80–84 | 36,078 | 48,373 | 84,451 | 1.4% |
| 85–89 | 21,246 | 34,008 | 55,254 | 0.9% |
| 90–94 | 7,824 | 15,747 | 23,571 | 0.4% |
| 95–99 | 1,994 | 5,386 | 7,380 | 0.1% |
| 100+ | 261 | 1,032 | 1,293 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Singapore’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Chile92% overlap · median age 37.4
- Mauritius92% overlap · median age 38.3
- Costa Rica91% overlap · median age 35.7
- Iceland91% overlap · median age 36.6
- Saint Lucia91% overlap · median age 35.1
- Cyprus91% overlap · median age 39.1
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Singapore.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Singapore Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/singapore/
MLA
“Singapore Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/singapore/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Singapore Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/singapore/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Singapore in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Singapore's population in 2026 is projected at 5,905,748.
What is the median age in Singapore?
The projected median age in Singapore in 2026 is 36.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Singapore?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 0.97 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Singapore's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 3%, from 5.9M to 6.1M.
What share of Singapore is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 14.8% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 26.8%.
How many babies are born in Singapore each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 50,564 births and 30,818 deaths in 2026, about 138 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 19,746.
What is life expectancy in Singapore for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 86.6 years for women and 81.7 years for men, a gap of 4.9 years in favour of women.
Does Singapore have more immigrants or emigrants?
Singapore is projected to gain about 13,379 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +1,227,569.
What is the sex ratio in Singapore?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 106.8 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.